Preppy Kitchen Recipes Desserts Strawberry Tart

Strawberry Tart

By John Kanell Updated Sep 15, 2023
1 comment
Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Featuring a tender, buttery crust, a dreamy lemon cream cheese mousse, and plenty of juicy berries, this fresh Strawberry Tart is the perfect dessert for your next gathering.

A plate with a slice of strawberry tart with strawberries, glass of milk, a second plated slice, and cake stand in the background.

With a stunning display of strawberry slices, my strawberry fruit tart is a delicious creation that marries the natural sweetness of sun-kissed strawberries with the artistry of French pastry. This dessert is picture-perfect and captures the very essence of spring and summer in one sweet bite– all you need are 10 easy-to-find ingredients that you might already have and a tart pan!

An easy homemade tart crust is baked until crisp and golden brown, then all you have to do is whip together cream cheese with fresh lemon and vanilla, spread it inside the tart shell, and top with sliced sweet strawberries. A simple brushing of melted jam gives this fresh strawberry tart recipe that pastry case glistening finish. This delightfully simple French-inspired confection is one of my favorite recipes to make when strawberries are at their peak. If you love strawberry dessert recipes, then you should try my strawberry cheesecake recipe, strawberry shortcake recipe, and easy strawberry rolls next!

What You Need To Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make a strawberry tart.

Cold unsalted butter – in order to make the pastry shell nice and tender, make sure your butter is cold and hard from the fridge.

Ice water – another trick for making your tart shell dough flaky is using very cold water to gather it together. The ice water helps keep the butter cold, plus adds enough moisture to hydrate the flour.

Heavy whipping cream – in order to whip your cream to stiff peaks, reach for whipping cream, not heavy cream, as it contains more fat. Also, remember that cold cream will hold air much better, so start with a chilled mixing bowl, chilled beaters, and chilled cream to start.

Block-style cream cheese – to avoid any unsightly chunks of cream cheese in your mousse filling, make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature before starting.

Granulated sugar – a standard white granulated sugar or natural cane sugar will both work well in this strawberry tart recipe.

Lemon juice – fresh is always best. To get the most juice from your fruit, roll it firmly on the countertop several times before slicing it in half. This will loosen up the pulp, making the juice squeeze out much easier. Feel free to add grated lemon zest for a more intense lemon flavor.

Vanilla extract – for adding complexity and richness in flavor. Feel free to use an equal amount of vanilla bean paste or powder instead.

Fresh strawberries – select unblemished fresh berries that smell fragrant and are deep in color.

Red currant jam – for glazing the strawberries. You’re also welcome to use apricot preserves or strawberry jam or jelly.

How To Make Strawberry Tart

Set of two photos showing water added to a food processor with flour and dough shaped into a disc.

1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter, and pulse until very crumbly, about 30 seconds. Drizzle in the ice water, and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly, but sticks together when pressed between your fingers.

2. Turn out the tart dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch circle.

Set of two photos showing dough rolled out and fork pricking holes in the dough in the tart pan.

3. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, and trim off any excess hanging over the sides.

4. Poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Line the tart crust with a piece of parchment paper and add enough dried beans or pie weights to fill the tart. Blind bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are dry and lightly golden brown. Remove pie weights and continue to bake for an additional 5 to 8 minutes until the bottom appears dry and the crust begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the crust cool completely in the pan before removing.

Set of two cream cheese beaten in a bowl and sugar added.

5. In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

6. In another large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. (No need to clean the beaters between the cream and cream cheese.) Add the granulated sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla, beating until smooth, about 1 minute.

Set of two photos showing whipped cream added to the mixture and the filling spread over the tart crust.

7. Gently fold in the whipped cream until combined.

8. Spoon the filling into the cooled pastry shell, spreading it into an even layer.

Set of two photos showing strawberries added to the tart and brushed with jam.

9. Arrange strawberries on top of the cream cheese filling, fanning them out in concentric circles around the center.

10. In a small bowl, microwave the jam and water until bubbling, about 30 seconds. Brush the jam mixture over the sliced strawberries. Refrigerate the strawberry tart for 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Overhead view of a strawberry tart with a stack of plates and forks to the side.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Don’t overwork the dough. The secret to tender pastry is making sure the butter is well distributed throughout the flour mixture and that the dough isn’t overworked. The food processor is a very powerful tool, so make sure you’re using the “pulse” function to ensure you don’t overdo it.
Freeze pastry dough discs ahead of time for easy prep. Want to get a headstart on your dinner party? The pastry dough can easily be made up to a month or so ahead of time, then wrapped very tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and frozen. To use, allow it to defrost overnight in the fridge for 24 hours, then roll and shape as directed.
How to Pick Good Strawberries – Fresh berries are at the center of this easy strawberry tart, so it’s essential that you pick the very best ones. I suggest grabbing local, in-season berries from your farmer’s market for the absolute best flavor. Otherwise, just make sure the berries are bright red with firm, unblemished skin. Finally, give them the sniff test — if they smell fragrantly of berries, they should taste that way, too!

A plate with a slice of strawberry tart with a fork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are tart crust and pie crust the same?

They’re similar but with a few differences. Both are made from a mix of flour, butter (or other fats) and sometimes a bit of sugar or salt. Tart crusts tend to be a bit richer and crumblier, thanks to a higher butter-to-flour ratio, and the butter is worked into the flour into much smaller pieces. They’re typically rolled or sometimes pressed into the tart pan and have a more delicate, shortbread-eqsue quality.

Pie crusts, on the other hand, are usually flakier because they have less butter in much bigger pieces cut into the flour. They’re also designed to hold up to a more substantial pie filling, which is typically 3-4x as deep as a tart.

Can I make individual-sized desserts with this recipe?

Absolutely! You can make strawberry tartlets by using miniature tart pans to bake the crust (I suggest the ones that are about 4 inches in diameter), reduce the bake time by a few minutes as needed, and then assemble the mini strawberry tarts as you would a larger one! You should be able to get 2-3 tart shells out of the crust recipe.

How do you cut the strawberries for the tart?

I start by slicing off the tops- stem and leaf part- of each berry. Then, you can really slice them however you like! I think thin slices that you cut from the tip through to the leaf end show off the strawberries the best; however, you can quarter them for a more substantial look. Or, if your berries are small, cut off the leaves and place them whole, cut side down on the filling, and brush with jam.

How should I store it?

Due to the fresh fruit and creamy filling, make sure you keep the tart refrigerated until serving. Any leftovers should be kept covered or in an air-tight container and is best enjoyed within 2 days.

If you’ve tried this Strawberry Tart recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!